Best signaling devices from the searcher’s point of view - update

[Dan]

Great list indeed.

I have an issue with this specific light. Although I can't ascertain the brand/maker of this specific light, it appears to be the Chinese low quality most unreliable throw away type. Please make sure that you are using a proven reliable brand name with very long battery life.

That’s one of small dive lights that I use as backup light. I got it as a bonus when I bought a Fantasea UW camera case for Canon G16. It’s been working fine for me for the last 2.5 years.

I’m not that concern with that dive light, as I carry UW camera rig with video light as my primary dive light anyway. Currently I upgraded my video light to Weefine Solar Flare 5000, as shown below. I figure 5000 lumens should be bright enough to alert the searchers.

 

[Adelaar Cruises]

This is a great list. It is a lot to carry but can save your life. Operators serious on safety should provide some of these items, such a safety sausage and some kind of beacon.

 

[Umuntu]

Your list made me chuckle … it's like you go diving expecting to get lost !

I hope you never need to use any of it, other than your DSMB.

 

[Dan]

Your list made me chuckle … it's like you go diving expecting to get lost !

I hope you never need to use any of it, other than your DSMB.

Yes, I hope not to ever use any of them (knock on woods).

I did use my DSMB once in Jupiter, Florida, when I spent too much time on a site, taking pictures of a 500lb Goliath Grouper swimming right next to a stingray feeding on the sandy bottom. By the time I was done with taking pictures, my group was gone out of sight. After a minute finning around in the blue to find my group and noticing my bottom time was about to expire, I launched the DSMB from 80’ depth & drifting in the blue for few more minutes to complete my safety stop. By the time I surfaced, our dive boat was already there near my DSMB.

 

[NYCNaiad]

Great topic & great list! It basically matches my own.

I don't think the average diver (including myself) is prepared to make the investment you have made in signaling devices nor wish to carry all that even if it fits in the pockets of a BC.

I was one of those divers who didn't think I needed all of that...till I was left at sea by a trusted dive shop with a group of divers in the Bahamas as a storm started coming in early. We saw boats in the distance, but no one was able to see our SMBs over the high waves. Later on, they also said they didn't hear our whistles or see our mirrors either. Luckily, we were found after an hour & a half. But it was a very long hour & a half where we began thinking the worst. I vowed that this would never happen to me again. It's fairly avoidable & a stupid way to die (or even begin to worry that you may die or have to endure being adrift for so long). <shudder>

 

[Anita Wong]

Thank you for the great list! Looks like I had some legit excuse to do some gear shopping.

I carried a small growing light like this during night dive, definitely made it easier for my guide and buddy to locate me, especially when there were other groups.

 

[Dan]

Thank you for the great list! Looks like I had some legit excuse to do some gear shopping.

I carried a small growing light like this during night dive, definitely made it easier for my guide and buddy to locate me, especially when there were other groups.

Glowing egg

I have one of these, below, for 10 years. It floats around and flashes like disco light on the back of my head during night dive.

 

[Anita Wong]

Glowing egg

I have one of these, below, for 10 years. It floats around and flashes like disco light on the back of my head during night dive.

View attachment 450016

Totally feeling out-diva by you now!

 

[CWK]

I go diving every month and quite a few of the places I go to have strong currents with previous boat separation incidents. I’m on a trip to the Maldives right now and the equipment that I brought are:

1. SMB
2. Dive Alert
3. Signal mirror
4. Torch with SOS mode x 2
5. Nautilus Marine Rescue
6. PLB

My bc comes with a whistle but I don’t take that into account because of the Dive Alert. I have a small strobe but I have not been carrying it because my torch in SOS mode, and when placed in the bottom of an inflated SMB converts the unidirectional (actually a 10 degree angle) torch SOS beam into an omnidirectional SOS light beacon.

I always carry a reef hook which can be used to leash people together if required so I don’t feel the need for a dedicated leash.

I have met at least 3 divers who have suffered boat separation incidents within the last year. One (a PADI instructor) was caught in a washing machine and has loaded up on signalling devices up to the Nautilus. The second (a BSAC instructor) suffered boat separation because the boat did not keep track of their bubbles and they drifted further than the boat anticipated and also has multiple signalling devices up to the Nautilus. The third (a recreational diver) was left behind by the dive boat and has not loaded up on signalling devices other than whistle and SMB. I guess different strokes for different folks.

My current trip to the Maldives is for almost 3 weeks (2 x LOBs plus a few days at a resort) and I experienced the washing machine twice. I’m quite happy to have my signalling equipment just in case I too experience boat separation.

 

[Dan]

I go diving every month and quite a few of the places I go to have strong currents with previous boat separation incidents. I’m on a trip to the Maldives right now and the equipment that I brought are:

1. SMB
2. Dive Alert
3. Signal mirror
4. Torch with SOS mode x 2
5. Nautilus Marine Rescue
6. PLB

My bc comes with a whistle but I don’t take that into account because of the Dive Alert. I have a small strobe but I have not been carrying it because my torch in SOS mode, and when placed in the bottom of an inflated SMB converts the unidirectional (actually a 10 degree angle) torch SOS beam into an omnidirectional SOS light beacon.

I always carry a reef hook which can be used to leash people together if required so I don’t feel the need for a dedicated leash.

I have met at least 3 divers who have suffered boat separation incidents within the last year. One (a PADI instructor) was caught in a washing machine and has loaded up on signalling devices up to the Nautilus. The second (a BSAC instructor) suffered boat separation because the boat did not keep track of their bubbles and they drifted further than the boat anticipated and also has multiple signalling devices up to the Nautilus. The third (a recreational diver) was left behind by the dive boat and has not loaded up on signalling devices other than whistle and SMB. I guess different strokes for different folks.

My current trip to the Maldives is for almost 3 weeks (2 x LOBs plus a few days at a resort) and I experienced the washing machine twice. I’m quite happy to have my signalling equipment just in case I too experience boat separation.

I’m curious about your Nautilus Marine Rescue GPS (MRG) setting as I’ll be in Maldives in December. Questions:
1. Which LOB are you on (& will be on)?
2 . Do you load the boat MMSI into your MRG?